Traffic marker and indicium



April 9, 1940. J. N. BENsEN 2,196,890

TRAFFIC MARKER AND INDICIUH Filed Sept. 25. 1937 BY- d@ MMC ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENTv` OFFICE I21j TRAFFIC MARKERAND INDIGIUM John N. Bensen, Brooklyn, N. Y.y v Application September23,1937, SeralrNo. 165,272 v 5 claims. (o1. :a4-1.5)

The invention relates to markers or indicia, such as letters, symbols,pointers, indicators and the like for the direction of traic and otherpurposes and to the manner of applying them to a pavement. Lines,letters and symbols, for the direction of traffic, are generally made bypainting them directly on the pavement and in some cases by insertingthem in the pavement, either in the form of concrete or similar inlays,or by glass or metal parts imbedded in the pavement.

The object of the present invention is to provide markers which arecompletely nishedkbefore being placed on the pavement and which may bemade in any desired shape or length so as to produce any one of thenumerous lines, numbers, iigures or other symbols now used for thedirection of traiiic. Another object is to so construct the markers thatwhen once secured on the pavement there. will be no danger of thembecoming loose or displaced.

A further object is to produce markers of this type which, even in theheaviest traic, will. last for a very long time and maintain the colorimparted to them until completely worn away. A

\ still further object is to provide markers of this type which will beso liexible that they may be rolled, when made in large lengths, tofacilitate their transportation and so that they may be shaped to assumethe various curves encountered on highways.

v Additional objects are to produce markers which may be made of anydesired color, which can be stored over a long period of time withoutlosing their iiexibility, which are easy to apply to the pavement, andwhich can be manufactured in all kinds of shapes at a relatively lowcost.

These and various other objects and advantages will be readilyunderstood from the following description and from the accompanyingdrawing of preferred embodiments of the invention, in which, however,various modifications may be made without departing from the scope oftheappended claims. In the drawing, s

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a stop signal marke made in accordance withthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of another kind of depression is made in thismould and nthis depression a piece of material toA which paint will notreadily adhere is preferably, placed. I have found that Cellophane isparticularly well suited for this purpose. After the Cello'phane hasbeen placed in the depression of the mould, a heavy coat of any suitable'paint is applied, as shown at Il. Next a layer of sharp sand, or othersimilar material, is distributed over the wet paint,l as shown at I2.Thissand will adherepto 4and mix 'with the paint. After the paint ispartly. dried the loose sand, or such particles which have not adheredto the paint, are preferably removed in any suitable manner, as byinverting the mould or by blowing. Next anotherheavy coat of paint" I3is applied on top of the i'lrst coat yo f sand). and on top of thispaint another layer of sand I4 is placed, and so on, in alternatelayers. `until the mould is filled. lIt is evident that the sand and thebecome so intimately mixed that the whole mass paintv will y will assumethe color of the paint used and form a homogeneous mass. Inasmuch as thenal t layer is sand, the upper part of the marker, as shown in themould, will consist of a very rough surface. This is the surface whichis applied against the pavement as willbe explained later.

After the paint in the marker is suiiiciently dry t.

the marker is removed from the mould and may now be kept for any. lengthof time until used.4 It will be found, ythat when constructed in thismanner, the marker will have great wearing qualities and Abe quiteiiexible so that it may be v rolled or bent quitefreely. The Cellophanemay be removed from the marker at any time after l, it is removed fromthe mould.

In Fig. 1, a marker, such as is generally shown 'A a ring I8 isillustrated. This ring is used for the location of a signal device orthe like.

Fig. 4 showsthe manner in which the markers are used for dividing ahighway into lanes. In this instance the line is made up of severalsepiarated parts I9, one of which is arcuated, as shown, at ISA, toindi-cate the manner in which the markers can be bent. While thisparticular marker has been shown as made upof relatively short sections,it will be understood that the A markers can be made up in strips ofconsiderable length.

While the depression in the mould has been shown considerably deeperthan would ordinarily be the p-ractice, this has been done to morereadily illustrate the idea. In practice a marker y about 3" wide wouldbe only approximately fig" lInasmuch as the bottom of the marker is madeup of sharp sand, it will be found that, after the pitch cools, there isno danger Wof the marker working loose, even with heavy traic. It willalso be found thatas the marker is' gradually worn down its color willremain unchanged until completely worn away.

While I have shown certain kinds of markers itis, ofcourse, evidentthata lgreat many others may kbernade. It lwill also be understood that,while I have shown a certain method for making the markers, I .do'notWish to l'confine myself to this particular method as manyother methods'may be used. However, I find that by building Ithe markers up inalternate layers, asv explained, exceptional good results are obtained.The sand in the, markers prevents the wheels of a car from sk idding,when passing over them.

Having described .theinvention and its objects, what 1 claim as new andwish to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A portable bendable-trafc marker for roadways having in cross-sectiona flat surface and a convex surface bounding a. laminated structure of-alternate layers of sand and paint.

2. A portable bendable traffic marker for road#` `ways having incross-section a flat surface and a convex surface bounding a laminatedstructure of alternate layers of sand and paint, the layer forming theconvex surface comprising mostly paint and the layer forming the flatsurface comprising mostly sand.

3. A portable bendable traffic marker for roadways having incross-section a at surface and aconvex surface bounding a laminatedstructure of alternate layers of sand and paint, the layer forming theconvex surface ycomprising mostly Vpaint and the layer forming the flatsurface com- 5. A portable .bendab-le traiicmarker for roadways havingin cross-section a at surface and. a convex surface `bounding alaminated structure of alternate layers ofsand and linseed oil paint,

the Vlatter forming the convex surface comprising mostly paint and thelatter forming the fiat surface comprising mostly sand, the layers ofsand and paint being successively narrower from the center of the convexsurface to the flat surface, the paint being colored.

VJOHN N. BENSEN.

